An Invisible Heresy. Arianism during Baduila’s Reign

Arianism played a negligible role during Baduila’s reign (541–552). The religious otherness of the Ostrogoths was considered by Justinian as one of the main causes of the war against them in 535 and Procopius of Caesarea seems to confirm the importance of the Arian faith during the conflict. Yet, Baduila’s own religious affiliation is uncertain and Gregory the Great never labels him as an Arian, although he lingers willingly on his cruelty to bishops and monks. Moreover, the assumption that his soldiers desecrated the Roman catacombs is groundless and cannot be used to substantiate his Arian faith. Sixth-century sources indicate that neither the Italians nor the Ostrogoths seem to have perceived Arianism as a threat or a cause worth fighting for. Justinian himself recognized the futility of his attempts to rally support for his cause by using the religious otherness of the Ostrogoths, since the ‘Pragmatica Sanctio’ lingers on the cruelty and illegitimacy of Baduila, entirely neglecting his alleged Homoian faith. It may well be that Baduila had little interest for the theological debate concerning Arianism, and was prepared to drop a religious label that had become virtually meaningless for his people.